UKA ‘CAN’T BAN TRANS WOMEN’

UK ATHLETICS want to ban transgender women from competing in female events, but claim they are legally unable to do so. The governing body yesterday recommended that trans athletes compete with men in an ‘open’ category, while reserving the women’s category for participants who are female at birth. However, UKA believe their favoured position is not currently enforceable by law — and have called on the Government to amend legislation.

Sportsmail understands the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport are bemused by UKA’s comments as they insist the Equality Act does in fact allow for an outright ban of trans women taking part in female sports. The Equality and Human Rights Commission have also said UKA’s legal advice is wrong.

UKA set out their trans stance in the wake of World Athletics controversially announcing their ‘preferred option’ was to carry on using testosterone levels as the basis for inclusion.

That led to public outcry from a number of female British Olympians, who believe it would not be fair for them to go up against athletes who were born as men.